The Fortune of Crisis

Moments of great personal crisis can be painful, lonely and completely
sink us in a sea of self-pity. Then again, they can also be insightful,
rewarding and we can also grow and emerge victorious from them.

I had just used those words to begin a talk for an end of the year celebration for a group of
college students and even before I finished this opening statement, I could
already notice everyone in the room looked perplexed.

So I had to clarify my words because I knew we didn’t share the same
definition of crisis. And within this context, how you define crisis means
everything.

Often times, when we hear about a crisis, it is related to a
disaster or a moment of tremendous danger and difficulty. Nobody wants to face a crisis and, for the most part, we are
taught to fear it and avoid it.

However, when I speak of crisis, I’m particularly referring to the
moments and challenges we have and will encounter throughout our personal
lives, such as the loss of a loved one, financial insecurity, stressful
situations (at work, school and other settings) and other countless moments of personal difficulty.

While these moments will vary in intensity and sequence,
they will come your way time and again. And that is a good thing.

President John F. Kennedy once said, “When written in
Chinese, the word crisis, is composed of two characters. One represents danger
and the other opportunity.”

While it is now known that this interpretation of the
Chinese word for crisis is misguided; the wisdom of these words remain
true.

How we define crisis will mean everything during a moment of
difficulty. Will you feel like a victim or remain in control? Do we crumble under the weight of our own angst
or do we learn how to surf the unpredictable waves of life?

The answer belongs to you.

Do not mistake what I am saying, I do not believe pain,
difficulty, or sorrow should be ignored. But I do believe that
experiencing crisis while having self-awareness and a deep sense of appreciation
for life can give you the perspective you need to learn, grow, and yes, be happy.

I’m continuously reminding my students that my greatest
success has always come with moments of great struggle. Because even when I faced failure, having the right mindset gave me the best opportunities.

Throughout my entire life, my motivation
and personal success has been shaped by moments of personal crisis – a series of
challenging life experiences that range from homelessness to moments of severe
depression and financial struggle.

I go on to explain that each of these moments has afforded
me incredible strengths. I embraced compassion and humility when I was
homeless. I learned about emotional intelligence and empathy when I overcame
depression. And my financial struggles tested my grit and taught me to become
an entrepreneur.

Control your moments of crisis – embrace it, learn from it
and channel it to improve.